Shirt-drying frame



(No Model.) l

H. A. ROWLAND.

SHIRT DRYING FRAME.

Patented Nov. 17, 1896.

UNITED ISTATES AArnrrr Prien.

SHIRT-DRYING FRAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,537, dated November 17, 1896.

Application filed October 1l, 1894. Serial No. 525,602. (No model.)

To all whom it may cm1/cerro:

Be itknown that I, HARRIET A. RowLANn, of Evanston, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and use'- ful Improvements in Drying-Frames5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference bein ghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of drying-frames which are adapted to be inserted within woolen shirts, vest-s, or other undergarments to prevent the shrinkage of the same after washing.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved construction of devices of the character referred to; and it consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, `Figure l is a front elevation of a frame constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is an inside end view of one of the arm-sections. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 4E 4 of Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 are details of a modified form of sliding connection. Fig. 7 is a detail section on line 7 7 of Fig. 3.

The frame thus illustrated may be conveniently constructed of pine or other available wood and in outline is of the same general shape as the upper part of the body and arms of a human figure, A designating the body portion, and B B the two arm portions of the frame. Said body portion is composed of two thin boards A A', the line of juncture of which extends vertically from top to bottom of the body portion midway of the width thereof. The two sections A A are adjustably secured to each other by sliding or telescopic connections C, which admit of their being adjusted and fastened with their adj acent edges either in contact or at a greater or less distance apart, thereby obviously permitting the width of the body as a whole to be increased or diminished, as desired, to fit various sizes of garments.

As herein shown, the connections C are formed by metallic channel-plates c, which fit over the adjacent portions of the top and bottom edges of both sections A A. Said channel-plates are clamped to the sectionsA A by thumb-screws c', which pass through longitudinal slots c2 in the central web of the plates.

Attached to the ends of the sections are metallic strips c3, which serve as nuts for thumb-screws c', being for this purpose provided with tapped holes. Said strips c3 are bent at right angles, so as to extend along both the end surface of the boards beneath the channel-plates and also along the inner edges of the boards, the strips being secured tothe boards by means of screws c4 c4, located in both parts of the same, so that they are at right angles with each other. The screws thus enter the wood at right angles to the grain thereof, as well as parallel with the grain, and a much stronger and more durable attachment is providedvthan would result if the screws were inserted into the ends of the boards only.

Any desired relative adjustment of the two sections within the limits of the connections C as thus construct-ed may obviously be effected by loosening the thu1nb-screws c', drawing the sections apart, and tightening the thumb-screws again when the sections occupy the required position, the channelplates c in the meantime servingjas sliding guides by which the sections are maintained in alinement.

The arm portions B B of the frame are detachably secured to the body portion A thereof, in this instance by means of dowel-pins b, embedded in the innerends of the arms and adapted to engage suitable apertures inthe edges of the adjacent sections A' A. As herein shown, only one of such dowels is provided for each arm, the tension of the garment itself being depended upon to further bind the arms in place. Said arms B B are divided longitudinally into upper and lower sections B' B2, which are secured together at their ends by means of adjustable connections C similar to those hereinbefore described as used to connect the two sections A A' of the body portion A of the frame. The width of the arms, as well as the body of the frame, may therefore be adjusted, as desired, in accordance with the size of the garment which is to be dried thereon, it being obvious that each end of each section may be independently adjusted to conform to the shape of the garment.

In placing a garment upon the frame the arms B B are detached from the body portion A of the frame and the garment is drawn over said body portion and made to it thereon as smoothly as practicable, it being understood that the Width of the frame is adj usted so as to stretch the fabric to the desired extent before the garment is placed on the frame. The arms B B are then each in turn inserted in the garment through the chest-opening thereof, 0r otherwise, and are thrust into the arms of the garment far enough to permit the dowelpins h to be slipped into their sockets in the edges of the-body A, Where they are held by the tension of thev stretched fabric, said arms beinglikewise preferably adjusted in width before being putin place. After the garment is properly dried the parts are removed one at a, time in the reverse order.

All of the metal work required in the construction of the frame, with the possible eX- ception of the dowel-pins, which are not ordinarily exposed, is designed to be .made of brass or similar material which will not rust, so thatall danger of staining the garment thereby is obviated. Thewooden body of the frame also serves to render it light and cleanly and aifords a very desirable structure at small cost. Suitable apertures a bored through the upper part .of the body-sectionsk enable the framev to be readily suspended by means of a cord looped through saidapertures. Dowelpins CL are also in this instance provided between the edges of the sections A A to aid the channel-platesl e in maintaining the sections inv alin-ement.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown a form of sliding connection .somewhat modilied from that previously setv forth, in which the channel-plate c is permanently fastened to one of the sections by means of screws a5, its conthis case be dispensed with on that section f to which the channel-plate is permanently fastened, and the construction is otherwise simpler in dispensing with one adjustingscrew; but obviously the length of that end of the plate which is engaged by the other adjusting-screw must be of double the length of either end of the plate first described to afford the same range of adjustability. Consequently this form of connection is less desirable in places Where the length of the plate must be limited, as on the outer ends of the arms B B, although equally applicable With the iirst` form on the body-sections and inner ends ofthe arms.

`I claim as my invention- In a vdrying-frame forfshirts and other similar articles, comprising a body portion and arm portions, each of said portions being divided longitudinally and made of two flat board-sectionsjoined edge to edge by sliding telescopic connections, embracing slotted plates and screw-clamping devices, whereby each end of each section may be independently adjusted and maintained :in adjusted position by frictional engagement of the connections, said arm portions being connected with the body portion by means of dowel-pins secured in the upper boards of the arm portions and adapted to enter holes in the edges ofv the body portion so-as to hold said arm and body portions in thesame plane, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim. the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

i I-IARRIET A. ROIVLAND.

lVitnesses:

E. L. KAPPELMAN, WM. L. LORD. 

